Re: Subject:  Re: What is the "rosewood" in Gus Bevona's office?

The wood of choice for fine Martin guitars is solid Brazilian rosewood for
the sides and back...dark, water-colorly soft grained and resonant.  Since
this is an endangered wood from the rain forests, it is only used on custom
guitars from old stock or by those who can still get it and don't give a
damn about endangered species.  I have a recently built Martin (an HD28 2R,
the guitar of choice by bluegrass musicians) but it's from nursury grown
stock...or so I'm told.
I just got back from inspecting some 19th century mill construction with
beams 30 feet long sticks measuring upward of 15"x18" centered on the
log...many rings of growth...old growth.  And I could tell stories of some
of the incredible woods I saw in historic Australian interiors.  Long live
preservation(ists)!  --Jim R